Photo by Texas A&M Media Relations
Texas A&M Baseball
Andy Sawyers on return to A&M, "Saw Dog Mania" and more
January 26, 2011
1,591
-Sawyers starts off describing in details how “Saw Dog Mania” began at Olsen Field in 2008:
“It was our first series against Northern Colorado and the tradition is to say ‘give ‘em hell’ and the nickname of the first base coach, and have you tip your cap. Well, they call you ‘new guy’ until you get ejected [for the first time]. I didn’t know that. I thought they were calling me ‘new guy’ because they didn’t know my name. So after the end of that first series, I wrote a ball and said, ‘give ‘em hell, 203’ and signed it, ‘Saw Dog’ so they would know my name. I didn’t know that they were calling me ‘new guy’ until I got ejected, so I threw it up there and that is what started the whole thing. They liked it and they asked for it again, so I started putting messages on [the ball and throwing them up to section 203]. But that was how the whole thing started.”
More notes from the interview:
-Had a great team in ’08 and won the conference. And it was a great group of followers. The “Saw Puppies” with the hats up in the stands...that was a lot of fun and I’m glad they haven’t forgotten about me.
-Won’t be running the offense from first base but may crow hop and throw a ball up to 203. May kill somebody but may try. They can come over and sit up above the third base coaches box...as long as they fill up Olsen Field is the most important thing.
-K-State will have the best year in school history this year and has a chance to go to the College World Series. Rob called and A&M is a huge attraction...great coaches, great players, great support from A&M family, renovations in place are all huge. Think A&M will win national championships and this opportunity is too good to turn down. Trying to sell home in Manhattan and buy a home in College Station. Wife and child are back in Kansas and it’s a whirlwind. Trying to learn names and install the new offense. Been busy but a lot of fun.
-Concerned that seven-month-old may not remember him when A.J. finally makes it down to College Station. Misses him a lot and can’t wait for A.J. to get down here.
-It’s fun because it’s like a Big League spring training ... you get a month and then go play. Coach Sealy and Coach Deggs did a great job of recruiting great athletes. Young squad but can really run, and it’s a matter of getting on the same page. Kevin Gonzalez said the other day that this is fun because it’s something different. We just put a little more in every day and the players have been very welcoming.
-Everyone here believes in an up-tempo, pressure type of offense. The fans might not realize the differences of what this year’s offense is doing, but he’s his own person and he has to teach it differently ... with different verbiage than what Coach Deggs did. The principles won’t change but it will be taught differently and with different language.
-Not changing anything for the sake of change, but no pressure to try to be like Matt Deggs. In a year or two, you might look up and say, “Saw Dog did things differently here.” Trying to just focus on players and learn them.
-Coach Deggs and Coach Sealy did a great job of recruiting speed. With the new bats taking the pop out of the ball, teams will start playing like A&M plays offensively but those things don’t happen overnight and it’s hard to change a culture. The attitude of running and creating things on the bases is already established by Coach Deggs. Fortunate to have followed him and the guys that came before me. Don’t think offense will come down as much as people think it will. But if it does happen, this team is prepared. Homeruns probably won’t come down for good hitters with good swings. Mistakes homeruns on a wind-blown day will disappear, but good hitters will continue to get their hits.
-The players have a great work ethic. Told them that I love Coach Deggs and respect what A&M has done in the past, but he’s got to be himself. Good and bad for the players because some of the guys might feel anxiety because they were established. But some guys will get a clean slate. More nervous than the players because got to learn 20 new guys ... they have to learn one new guy.
-Favorite plays to call from the third base coaches box...double squeeze is a favorite. When it works, you look like a genius but when it doesn’t, you have people shaking their head. That’s a fun one and so is the slash and slash-and-run – when you show bunt and start the runners, and then hit away. Anything that causes confusion in the other team is fun.
“It was our first series against Northern Colorado and the tradition is to say ‘give ‘em hell’ and the nickname of the first base coach, and have you tip your cap. Well, they call you ‘new guy’ until you get ejected [for the first time]. I didn’t know that. I thought they were calling me ‘new guy’ because they didn’t know my name. So after the end of that first series, I wrote a ball and said, ‘give ‘em hell, 203’ and signed it, ‘Saw Dog’ so they would know my name. I didn’t know that they were calling me ‘new guy’ until I got ejected, so I threw it up there and that is what started the whole thing. They liked it and they asked for it again, so I started putting messages on [the ball and throwing them up to section 203]. But that was how the whole thing started.”
More notes from the interview:
-Had a great team in ’08 and won the conference. And it was a great group of followers. The “Saw Puppies” with the hats up in the stands...that was a lot of fun and I’m glad they haven’t forgotten about me.
-Won’t be running the offense from first base but may crow hop and throw a ball up to 203. May kill somebody but may try. They can come over and sit up above the third base coaches box...as long as they fill up Olsen Field is the most important thing.
-K-State will have the best year in school history this year and has a chance to go to the College World Series. Rob called and A&M is a huge attraction...great coaches, great players, great support from A&M family, renovations in place are all huge. Think A&M will win national championships and this opportunity is too good to turn down. Trying to sell home in Manhattan and buy a home in College Station. Wife and child are back in Kansas and it’s a whirlwind. Trying to learn names and install the new offense. Been busy but a lot of fun.
-Concerned that seven-month-old may not remember him when A.J. finally makes it down to College Station. Misses him a lot and can’t wait for A.J. to get down here.
-It’s fun because it’s like a Big League spring training ... you get a month and then go play. Coach Sealy and Coach Deggs did a great job of recruiting great athletes. Young squad but can really run, and it’s a matter of getting on the same page. Kevin Gonzalez said the other day that this is fun because it’s something different. We just put a little more in every day and the players have been very welcoming.
-Everyone here believes in an up-tempo, pressure type of offense. The fans might not realize the differences of what this year’s offense is doing, but he’s his own person and he has to teach it differently ... with different verbiage than what Coach Deggs did. The principles won’t change but it will be taught differently and with different language.
-Not changing anything for the sake of change, but no pressure to try to be like Matt Deggs. In a year or two, you might look up and say, “Saw Dog did things differently here.” Trying to just focus on players and learn them.
-Coach Deggs and Coach Sealy did a great job of recruiting speed. With the new bats taking the pop out of the ball, teams will start playing like A&M plays offensively but those things don’t happen overnight and it’s hard to change a culture. The attitude of running and creating things on the bases is already established by Coach Deggs. Fortunate to have followed him and the guys that came before me. Don’t think offense will come down as much as people think it will. But if it does happen, this team is prepared. Homeruns probably won’t come down for good hitters with good swings. Mistakes homeruns on a wind-blown day will disappear, but good hitters will continue to get their hits.
-The players have a great work ethic. Told them that I love Coach Deggs and respect what A&M has done in the past, but he’s got to be himself. Good and bad for the players because some of the guys might feel anxiety because they were established. But some guys will get a clean slate. More nervous than the players because got to learn 20 new guys ... they have to learn one new guy.
-Favorite plays to call from the third base coaches box...double squeeze is a favorite. When it works, you look like a genius but when it doesn’t, you have people shaking their head. That’s a fun one and so is the slash and slash-and-run – when you show bunt and start the runners, and then hit away. Anything that causes confusion in the other team is fun.
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